Representing the Managers of the Internal Revenue Service
www.promanager.org
10/22/2025
The Honorable John Thune
United States Senate
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Re: Congressional Accountability and Cooperation During Government Shutdowns
Dear Senator Thune,
On behalf of the Professional Managers Association (PMA), which represents the managers of the Internal Revenue Service, I write to express our deep concern over the recurring threat of government shutdowns and their impact on the federal workforce and the American public.
When a lapse in appropriations occurs, federal employees are once again forced to shoulder the burden of political impasse—working without pay, delaying critical services, and facing uncertainty about when normal operations will resume. These shutdowns erode public confidence in government, harm morale, and undermine the ability of agencies like the IRS to serve taxpayers effectively.
We urge you to support legislative reforms that hold Congress and the Senate equally accountable during funding lapses. Specifically, if a shutdown occurs, both chambers should be required to remain in continuous session and work together until an agreement is reached—or the shutdown automatically ceases.
The responsibility to maintain a functioning government must be shared by all branches of Congress. The American people should never be collateral damage in a political stalemate. Accountability must rest not on the backs of dedicated civil servants, but within the institution that controls the appropriations process itself.
Senator Thune, your record of statesmanship and bipartisan collaboration makes you uniquely positioned to lead on this issue. PMA respectfully asks that you help champion a mechanism that ensures cooperation, accountability, and continuity of government operations during times of fiscal disagreement.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing support of the federal workforce and the citizens we serve.
Respectfully,
Kelly Reyes
Executive Director
Professional Managers Association
